The present invention relates to a front end loader attachment for use primarily in conjunction with utility skid steer loaders. More specifically, to such a front end loader attachment being comprised of a plurality of specifically designed tools which can be mounted to an outwardly extending boom and employed in a variety of differing situations all of which stem from the unique requirements of dealing with the threatening or dangerous situations faced by bomb squads, police force SWAT teams, certain military forces, and arson investigations teams.
In recent years the use of skid steer loaders has become very popular in many industries. Skid steer loaders are small vehicles, typically having four wheels or a pair of tracks, which steer the vehicle by varying the speed of each individual wheel or track. Due to the unique steering method, skid steers are easily maneuverable in tight quarters. Thus, skid steer loaders have proven to be very efficient and necessary in many work situations having limited space.
As skid steers have increased in popularity, manufacturers have found it profitable to make large numbers of attachments for the front of skid steer loaders. These attachments include snow blowers, sandbagging devices, log moving equipment, buckets, hole drilling equipment, and the like. The various attachments are limited only by the ability of the skid steers and the user's needs. However, a potential use for these skid steer loaders and their numerous attachments is in certain dangerous circumstances often encountered by members of the police force, some military personnel, and arson investigators.
One of the problems often encountered by these types of forces is the necessity of entering an enclosed building or other hidden area while lacking an exact knowledge of what, or who, is within that space. This problem has been dealt with in the past by the development of specialized tactics by which a group of highly trained individuals stormed the space. This process is completed by this force occupying and securing the space thereby removing or neutralizing any threat contained therein.
While this method of securing these hidden spaces has proven effective over time it is far from perfect. First, it places the members of the infiltration force at a relatively high degree of personal risk. No matter how highly trained such a group may be, unforeseen circumstances can, and sometimes do, lead to losses in the group's members mostly stemming from the lack of knowledge of what is actually contained within the hidden space. Additionally, in part due to the inherent dangers involved in this type of maneuver, the turn over in the individual members comprising the group is often quite high. This turn over can then lead to more mistakes being made during the interdiction process thereby increasing the risks to the participants. Finally, unnecessary collateral damage can also occur within the hidden space during the storming process. As above, the collateral losses are also mostly attributable to the lack of knowledge of exactly what and who is concealed within the space prior to the beginning of operations.
A number of solutions for these problems have been proffered with varying degree of success. Most of these deal with the introduction of a remote control vehicle equipped with a camera into the hidden space to provide a reconnaissance function. While this is an effective method of obtaining information it suffers from two primary drawbacks. The first is that such systems tend to be expensive both in the necessary equipment and in the specialized training necessary for its proper operation. This expense tends to make these systems impractical in all but a very few of the possible applications. Secondly, the remote vehicles used in these systems are very difficult to protect and are therefore subject to interference by those that are the intended subjects of the surveillance. Thus, the use of remote vehicles for the reconnaissance of hidden areas suffers from flaws which to date, make them impractical for the uses described above.
Additionally, other similar problems exist in many of the situations encountered by these types of forces including the need to form large breaches in walls to provide access to the area behind it, the placement of shaped charges against walls or doors to again breach these structures, the removal of reenforced gates or fences, or other similar operations. As with the situation described above, there are methods employed by these groups which allow these circumstances to be overcome. However, there is at this time no one tool or unified system available that provides a means by which these obstacles can be overcame. Instead, it is necessary to either overcome them with specialized tactics and human force or with equipment specially designed for each circumstance. In the former approach the lives of the participants of these exercises are placed at risk or the procurement and maintenance of the of the specialized equipment in the latter places an extreme burden on the governmental body involved.
The specialized situations described above provide an opportunity for the use of a skid steer loader (or other similar vehicles) to position a specially designed apparatus into such hidden areas, to breach a wall, or to tear down a fence or gate. Especially when these hidden areas are potentially highly dangerous containing threats from unknown sources and of unknown quantities or the nature of the job itself (breaching a wall) has inherent dangers. The use of such vehicles in this application would provide solutions to many of the problems described above in a cost effective manner and would require little if any additional training to be operated by the general population of the groups involved.
Therefore, from the above discussion it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a method of obtaining information from a hidden space, to breach a wall, or to remove a reenforced section of fence or gate without subjecting the members of a special operations force to the dangers inherent in the forceful occupation of such an area. Additionally, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide such a mechanism that could be easily attached to the forward end of a common skid steer loader thereby allowing for its successful operation by any person obtaining the skill necessary to operate the skid steer. Further, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide such a mechanism that would allow for the remote removal of potentially dangerous material from a site that would allow for thorough investigation without endangering the operator. Still further, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide such a mechanism which is equipped with an observational device such as a still or video camera which can be controlled from a remote location. Finally, it can also be seen that it would be desirable to provide such a mechanism which is capable of delivering suppression devices such as tear gas from a safe and remote position.